Keeper means for cotton picking spindle slats



Feb. 9, 1954 J. `'.1. BRAMBLETT 2,668,409

KEEPER MEANS FOR COTTON PICKING SPINDLE SLATS Filed Apil 4, 1952 INVENTOR 57 Jo//A/.Ammzfrr www@ Patented Feb. 9, 1954 KEEPER MEANS FOR COTTON PICKING SPINDLE SLATS John J.-Bramb`1ett, Pine Bluff,v Ark., assigner to Ben Pearsorn` Incorporated, PinefBl-u, Ark.; a

corporationl of Arkansas Application April 4, 1952, Serial' No. 286,689

8 Glaims.

l invention relates to certain new' and useful improvements' in spindle slats for cotton pickiiig machines of ine type generally shown and described Patent 2,446,450, and specifically ree lates to anew' and useiul improvement in keeper m'aiis' for such slatsl by which hinge elements, sinn-lar to those'v shown in' the above mentioned patent,A are locked into position upon a slat of thet general nature of. that described in said patent. In general the spindle slat consists of inea-'iis for rotatably supporting a plurality of cotton picking spindles in a vertical ban-k. To the upper' and lower ends hin'ge members are secii'ie"di,` by In'eans of which the slats are attached t arrying means" such as chains.

Al keeper key has heretofore' been used, being interposed betw'e'e'n such hinge member' and the slatj forv` the purposeof looking the' hinge to the slatl `It has been found' that there is extreme diic'fulty in removing such keeper key for the purpose o'f releasing the hinge from the sla't, as when repairs or replacements are' necessary, so that special' tools have been heretofore required, and' it has further been roundv that under conditions of use the' hinge is permitted torock out of vertical alinement with the .sl-at resulting in a distortion of the slat support and a consequent imperfection in subsequent operation.

The' prima-ry object of this invention is to provide a new and novel keeper arrangement to interact with slot-carried means including one or more ofthe spindles to elTect locking of the hinge member to the sla-t, inhibiting relative rocking between the hinge and slat and being readily accessible for easy and simple removal.v

i A further object of the invention is to provide keeper means comprising a key tongue and a bod-y portion disposed angularly to the keeper ton-gue,- the body portion bein-gk provided with arms for embracing the slat andbeing apertured fprthe passage of one or more spindles thereihrpeghi i ,A y

y. A further objectpf the invention isI to provide keeper means for thespindle slats' of cotton pickniachines, including a portion engagingv the end or the slat and a hinge nember to interlock the fiirig'e iiieriiberf tothe' sist end and further engaging aveitic'al face' o'f the slat to inhibit relative rocking" between the hinge member and slat Wdvftlielrobifct of the invention is to generally f uiede cori-struction and enicieiicy "c ineens for spina-1e slats ci" citcii picknie machines.

2' the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood froniA the' following' speciii'cati'on upon reference' to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary iront elevational view ofY one end f aV spindle Slat for' a cotton picking machine with the' keeper means" of' the' present invention in position thereon'.

Fig.Y 2' is a side' elevational View oi" the' device as seen in' Fig'. 1, with certain parts broken away for'illustrationf. l l 1 Fig". 3f is a Sectional Vie`v`v` taken as onthe line Iiiiii ci Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of tl'i'e `keeper means of the present' invention.

Referring now to'` the drawings whioh the varis'- parts are" indicated by numerals, the sl'at i'sindicated general at? IIE and includes an elongated nenibel" f3, Commonly' referred to" as backbone is a clip-lilieiiiercbei and is adapte-d tol carry packing and bearing members substantially the inanrer' desc'ribed in the aforementioned Patent 27A/0,450; littahezd to the' backbone' are a pluiality' of-menilr's f5 c''nveniently denominated ribs these' being' coinizosite'l nieinlers andf adapted: hto liouse and@ sup*- port4 additional bearing" members' similar tov tlie construction of said patent.

In the present drawings .one of the end1 ribs a fragment ci an adjacent. ribar'e included, it being understood that the opposite end of the sla-t when' formed' in acoordance with the present invention is substantially' identical with the ac'- ran'g'er'nentof the one' end illustrated herein. rib I 5' is provided with vertical end flanges t6.

Eota'tably' supported by the bacllzboneA andA rib Ineans are af plurality of cotton picking spindles Il having suitable drive rollers I 8. 'The forl- Ward edge of backbone' lf3' is embraced by an elongated substantially' channel-shaped Y cover member rsi which preferably extends throughout the length of the backbone and profvi'dedf with a pifiir'ality of apertures if for; ine extensionof spindlesv H therethrough. The end portion of" cover member' is is embraced and cov'- er'ed by a retainer 2e which includes" a iront face 2K adapted to lie along the outer face of cover channel f9 andi to extend at least below the second spindle. from' the end of the sl'at, retainery 23 beingl aperture@ as at 25 forl the extension of spindles 1 therethrough.. Retainer 2'3f'is provided,- ie'iote from the eiid of slat H1, with a pair of rearwardly' extending legs` il which lie7 along and frictionally engag the sides of end rib' l5 and the retainer includes a not end plate 2'9 Which extends rearward-1y in a plane at right y angles to the plane of front face 24, plate 29 being slidably seated on the end edges of vertical rib anges IB so that plate 29 is spaced from the end of the slat backbone, the plate, rib anges and slat forming an end chamber 30. Retainer 23 is cut oir at the junction between plate 29 and vertical front face 24 to provide an access slot 3| extending into chamber 30 thus established between plate 29 and the end of slat when retainer 23 is positioned. Plate 29 is connected to vertical front face 24 by sides 33, of which legs 21 form an extension, sides 33 along their respective end portions lying along rib anges I6 and being cut out, as best shown in Fig. 2, tc establish a minimum depth intermediate the sides slightly less than the depth of cover I9.

Chamber 30 between plate 29 and the end of slat is adapted to loosely receive attachment portions 35 of hinges 31, by means of which hinges the slat is attached to a conveyor chain, not here shown, in the manner substantially as shown in the aforementioned patent. Plate 29 is slotted as at 39 to receive and engage a lug 4| formed on the attachment portion 35 of hinge 31.

The keeper key means of the present invention comprises a substantially angle-shaped member 43 having a horizontal keeper tongue 45 deformed as at 41 to establish a camming boss thereon. Perpendicularly joined to one end of the keeper tongue 45 is one end of a front face 49, which, adjacent its opposite end, is provided with a pair of spring arms adapted to embrace and engage the body portion of retainer 23. It will be seen that arms 5| at their freeends are provided with converging tip portions 53, which, when the keeper device is positioned in assembly of the slat, overlap and embrace the edges of the cut-out portions of sides 33 of retainer 23, as best shown in Figs. l and 3.V

It will further be seen that arms 5| are offset from face 49, thus in effect bulging the arms s0 as to provide for embracing the retainer member. Front face 49 is of a length to extend along the front face 24 of retainer member 23 substantially beyond at least one oi the extending f `spindles 1, face 49 being apertured as at 55 to accommodate the spindle extension. It will be Vunderstood that face 49 may be extended further along the front face 24 of retainer 23 if desired and it is preferred that the front face 49 of keeper means 43 be extended a substantial distance below the endmost spindle l1 bearing solidly against the vertical face 24 of retainer 23 throughout a substantial segment of the retainer length, re-

sisting any tendency of the hinge or retainer to tip forwardly. Front face 49 is preferably provided with an outwardly turned lip 51 to assist in the removal of the device when desired.

When the keeper device is positioned on the slat, keeper tongue 45 is inserted through slot 3| in retainer 23 extending into chamber 30 between rib iianges I6, hinge attachment member 35, and the end of slat |i. Camming boss 41 is effective to force the hinge away from the end of the slat and to insure the engagement of hinge vlug 4| with retainer plate slot 39 and is preferably positioned so as to lie substantially vertically beneath lug 4| and slot 39. Endmost spindle |1 is passed through keeper aperture 55,

-this relative positioning eectively limiting any undesired vertical movement of the keeper. In this manner the hinge and retainer are effectively locked to retainer 23 and thus to the end of slat against accidental removal and the substantial engagement in length between keeper tace 49 and the front face 24 of retainer 23 insures algirslt relative rocking between hinge 31 and s a It will be seen that as the device is frictionally retained in position by the action of spring arms 5| it may be quickly and simply removed, as when itis desirable to replace parts of the assembly, lip 51 providing ready access for the removal ci the device without the necessity of special tools, and the device may be as quickly replaced when it is desired to reconstitute the slat and hinge as an operative unit.

I claim:

1. Keeper means adapted for use with a slat assembly for a cotton picking machine comprising a face portion adapted to lie along the face of said assembly, a tongue attached to and extending from one end of said face portion substantially perpendicularly thereto, said tongue including a camming boss intermediate its length, a pair of arms extending from the opposite sides of said body adjacent the opposite end of said face portion, said arms being disposed substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to said face portion and underlying said tongue, and being adapted to embrace and frictionally engage said assembly remote from the end thereof, said face portion' being apertured for the passage of a cotton picking spindle therethrough.

2. Keeper means, for use with a cotton picking spindle slat having a plurality of spindles, comprising a keeper tongue, a face portion disposed angularly to the tongue, and arms carried by said face portion for embracing said slat, said face portion being apertured for the extension of at least one said spindle therethrough.

3. Keeper means, adapted for use in cotton picker spindle slat assemblies, which assemblies each include a hinge member, a slat, a plurality of spindles carried by the slat, and an end clip adapted to embrace a said hinge member and an end of the slat, said keeper means Vbeing adapted to retain a said hinge member in engagement With a said end clip; said keeper means comprising a front face adapted to engage the front of an end clip, said front face being provided with at least one spindle receiving aperture adjacent but spaced from one end of said face for receiving the endmost spindle of a said assembly, a keeper tongue integrally connected at one end to said face end and projecting substantially perpendicularly away from one side of said face, said tongue intermediate its length having a transverse camming boss projecting from the tongue surface remote from said face, said camming boss extending substantially from side to side of said tongue and merging along its opposite edges with said tongue surface, said tongue and boss being adapted for insertion between an end clip and a hinge member, and a pair of spring arms respectively connected at one end to the opposite edges of said face adjacent the opposite end of said face and spaced from said tongue, said arms projecting away from said face side and lying substantially in alinement with said tongue sides for embracing an end clip beyond the endmost spindle, the opposite ends of said arms having converging tip portions for clamping an embraced end clip, whereby, when said keeper means is mounted on a slat assembly, to retain the hinge member of a said assembly against accidental removal and tipping relative to the slat, of the assembly.

e, Keeper means, adapted for use in cotton auf picker spindle slat assemblies, which assemblies each include a hinge member, a slat, a plurality of spindles carried by the slat and an end clip adapted to embrace a said hinge member and an end of the slat, said keeper means being adapted to retain a said hinge member in engagement with a said end clip; said keeper means comprising a front face adapted to engage the front of an end clip, said front face being provided with at least one spindle receiving aperture adjacent but spaced from one end of said iace for receiving the endmost spindle of a said assembly, a keeper tongue integrally connected at one end to said face end and projecting substantially perpendicularly away from one side of said face, said tongue being adapted for insertion between an assembled end clip and hinge member, and a pair of spring arms respectively connected at one end to the opposite edges of said face adjacent the opposite end of said face and spaced from said tongue, said arms projecting away from said face side and lying substantially in alinement with the sides of said tongue for embracing an end clip beyond the endmost spindle, the opposite ends of said arms having oonverging tip portions for clamping an embraced end clip, whereby, when said keeper means is mounted on a slat assembly, to retain the hinge member of said assembly against accidental removal and tipping.

5. Keeper means, adapted for use in cotton picker spindle slat assemblies, which assemblies each include a hinge member, a slat, and an end clip adapted to embrace a said hinge member and an end of the slat, said keeper means being adapted to retain a said hinge member in engagement with a said end clip; said keeper means comprising a front face adapted to engage the front of an end clip, a keeper tongue integrally connected at one end to one end of said face and projecting substantially perpendicularly away from one side of said face, said tongue being adapted for insertion between an end clip and a hinge member, and a pair of spring arms respectively connected at one end to the opposite edges of said face adjacent the opposite end of said face and spaced from said tongue, said arms projecting away from said face side and lying substantially in alinement with the sides of said tongue for embracing an end clip, the opposite ends of said arms having converging tip portions for clamping an embraced end clip, whereby, when said keeper means is mounted on a slat assembly, to retain the hinge member of said assembly against accidental removal and tipping.

6. Keeper means, adapted for use in cotton picker spindle slat assemblies, which assemblies each include a hinge member, a slat, and an end clip adapted to embrace a said hinge member and an upper end of the slat, said keeper means being adapted to retain a said hinge member in engagement with a said end clip; said keeper means comprising a front face adapted to engage the front of an end clip, a keeper tongue integrally connected at one end to one end of said face and projecting substantially perpendicularly away from one side of said face, said tongue being adapted for insertion between an end clip and a hinge member, and a pair of spring arms respectively connected at one end to the opposite edges of said face adjacent the opposite end of said face and spaced from said tongue, said arms projecting away from said face side for embracing an end clip, whereby, when said keeper means is mounted on a slat assembly, to retain the hinge member of said assembly against accidental removal and tipping.

7. Keeper means, adapted for use in cotton picker spindle sl-at assemblies, which assemblies each include a hinge member, a slat, a plurality of spindles carried by the slat an-d an end clip adapted to embrace a said hinge memberand an end of the slat, said keeper means being adapted to retain a said hinge member in engagement with a said end clip; said keeper means comprising a front face adapted to engage the front of an end clip, said front face being provided with at least o-ne spindle receiving aperture adjacent but spaced from one end of said face for receiving the endmost spindle of said assembly, and a keeper tongue integrally connected at one end to said face end and projecting substantially perpendicularly away from one side of said face, said tongue being adapted for insertion between an end clip and a hinge member, whereby, when said keeper means is mounted on a slat assembly, to retain the hinge member of said assembly against accidental removal and tipping.

8. Keeper means, adapted for use in cotton picker spindle slat assemblies, which assemblies each include a hinge member, a slat, a plurality of spindles carried by the slat and an end clip adapted to embrace a said hinge member and the upper end of the slat, said keeper means being adapted to retain a said hinge member in engagement with a said end clip; said keeper means comprising a front face provided with at least one spindle receiving aperture adjacent but spaced from one end of said face, a keeper tongue integrally connected at one end to said face end and projecting substantially perpendicularly away from one side of said face, said tongue intermediate its length having a transverse camming boss projecting from the tongue surface remote from said face, and a pair of spring arms respectively connected at one end to the opposite edges of said face adjacent the opposite end of said face and spaced from said tongue, said arms projecting away from said face side and lying in substantial alinement with the sides of said tongue.

JOHN J. BRAMIBLETT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,440,450 Rust Apr. 27, 1948 2,533,631 Rust Dec. 12, 1950 2,548,069 Rust Apr. 10, 1951 

